“The Bachelor” host, Chris Harrison, will not be returning to the show’s female-led version, “The Bachelorette,” Warner Horizon and ABC Entertainment announced Saturday, following controversy over comments Harrison made about “cancel culture.” He will, instead, be replaced, by two of the show’s former “Bachelorette” contestants, Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe.
Harrison announced he was temporarily stepping away from the show in February after controversy erupted over comments he made suggesting that social media should not be the “judge, jury, and executioner” of a current “Bachelor” contestant who was photographed attending an “antebellum”-themed fraternity party in 2018, dressed in full antebellum attire. Harrison also suggested that the contestant, who is favorited to win this season’s “final rose,” should be given “grace” and “understanding,” and allowed to explain herself and apologize.
“I haven’t talked to [the contestant] about it,” Harrison told Extra about the incident. “We all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion. Because I have seen some stuff online — this judge, jury, executioner thing where people are just tearing this girl’s life apart and diving into, like, her parents, her parents’ voting record. It’s unbelievably alarming to watch this.”
Harrison issued two apologies, but that was not enough for “Bachelor” producers, so he announced that he would depart the show, at least until next season.
“This historic season of The Bachelor should not be marred or overshadowed by my mistakes or diminished by my actions,” Harrison said in a statement on February 14th. “To that end, I have consulted with Warner Bros. and ABC and will be stepping aside for a period of time and will not join for the After the Final Rose special.”
That special will, instead, be hosted by Emmanuel Acho, a former NFL player-turned-YouTube racism educator.
In an interview with Good Morning America last week, Harrison announced that he was taking drastic steps to save his job, including lessons with a “race educator.”
“I am saddened and shocked at how insensitive I was in that interview and I didn’t speak from my heart,” Harrison told host Michael Strahan. “That is to say I stand against all forms of racism and I am deeply sorry. I’m sorry to Rachel Lindsay and I’m sorry to the Black community.”
He said that he is committed to a “path of anti-racism.”
That was, apparently, still not enough for show producers, who announced Saturday that Harrison was being permanently replaced, at least as host of “The Bachelorette,” — the female version of the show — per The New York Times.
“Chris Harrison will not host the next season of ‘The Bachelorette’ for the first time in the history of the franchise, which began as a guilty pleasure when it debuted in 2002 but has in recent years been criticized for its lack of diversity and insensitive handling of race,” the outlet reported.
“We are dedicated to improving the BIPOC representation of our crew, including among the executive producer ranks,” Warner and ABC said in their statement. “These are important steps in effecting fundamental change so that our franchise is a celebration of love that is reflective of our world.”